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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22494544">The Feeling of Regret</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bionerd2Point0/pseuds/Bionerd2Point0'>Bionerd2Point0</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Feelings of Life [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Batman - All Media Types, Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alpha Cassandra Cain, Alpha Jason Todd, Alpha Kon-El | Conner Kent, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - No Capes, Anxious Tim Drake, Beta Stephanie Brown, Fluff and Angst, Guilty Jason Todd, Healing, Healing Snuggles, Jason Todd is a sweetheart, M/M, Misplaced Guilt, Omega Tim Drake, Panic Attacks, Past Rape/Non-con, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Scenting</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 16:20:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,189</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22494544</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bionerd2Point0/pseuds/Bionerd2Point0</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been almost four months since the FBI raided the trafficking ring. He hadn’t seen Agent Todd since that heat; the Alpha seemed to do his best to stay away during the initial chaos and Tim had been a bit of a mess afterwards. Not so much that he hadn’t noticed Roy delivering lots of messages from Jason and Jason never to be found, but still. </p>
<p>Tim tries not to think about it too hard. He's just trying to recover.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Barbara Gordon/Dick Grayson, Stephanie Brown/Cassandra Cain, Tim Drake &amp; Kon-El | Conner Kent, Tim Drake/Jason Todd</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Feelings of Life [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1617892</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>530</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Feeling of Regret</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Warnings: Non-graphic discussions of past rape/non-con, and a character with anxiety/PTSD/agoraphobia who has a panic attack and several near attacks. These are also the reasons why this fic is tagged 'M,' so if you were looking for smut, I am sorry to disappoint (our babies needed some cuddles first).</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hello!! I'm back! I didn't have this planned when I posted the last one, but I have no self control and all of you were excited sooo *shrugs*. This is not the end of this series, though! I have two more (shorter) fics planned, but they may take a bit longer for me to get out due to life picking back up. (And the last one should be almost 100% smut... *wink wink*)</p>
<p>The reason you are all getting this so soon after Safety is because of the wonderful feriswheel, who beta'd this fic! They murdered half my commas, resurrected one hundred more, and essentially pointed out that I need to go back to grade school because I can't English (thank you, college education). For real though, they have helped me smooth over some serious edges and made this story much more engaging than I could have managed on my own. Thank you, friend!</p>
<p>A note on some worldbuilding things: I use the phrase 'tie' here as a polite/PC version of knotting. I imagine it kinda like 'slept together' vs 'banged.'</p>
<p>Gay in this 'verse is talking about dynamics (A/A or O/O, and no one really cares about Betas since they can just do their own thing). All combination of genders (M/M, M/F, F/F) are accepted since like, a fourth of the planet is intersex (but if that's not your jam you can ignore it since I don't actually talk about that in the story).</p>
<p>Enjoy!!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tim stood in front of the coffee shop, fingering the taser hidden in his hoodie pocket. The café was one of those rare gems that Gotham kept hidden within her depths. It was out of the way and had good pastries and even better coffee—cheap enough that you didn’t feel robbed after your first cup, but not so cheap as to skip on quality. More importantly, it wasn’t a place he had gone to Before. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before, he had been a regular at the café on West Avenue. He went there so often that they knew him by name and could anticipate the number of espresso shots he’d order based on first look alone. He had been walking home from that café when the black van had pulled up beside him and dragged him inside. He hadn’t been back since, although he sent a letter to tell the employees that he was okay, but wouldn’t be going back. Not for a long while, at least.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At this point, it had been almost four months since the FBI had raided the trafficking ring. He had spent twelve hours after his rescue telling the agents anything and everything he could remember about the security and layout—up to and including the underground loading bay he had been brought through on the way in. Then his heat had hit him fully, and he’d spent the next four days fucking himself with a toy and was only interrupted for regular food and water deliveries from another Omega.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Afterwards, they had let him read a few of the report summaries before the story hit the media, and Tim still had a hard time believing the scale of it all. Forty-three Omegas rescued from his facility alone; one hundred thirty-eight rescued in total from the underground Heat Houses that had been raided across the nation shortly after—Heat Houses that the FBI hadn’t even known about until they got into the bookkeeping, specifically looking for them at Agent Todd’s request. The best news had been that the only casualties had been people who probably deserved it, anyways. Only a few agents and Omegas had been injured during the raids.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He hadn’t seen Agent Todd since that heat; the Alpha seemed to do his best to stay away during the initial chaos and Tim had been a bit of a mess afterwards. Not so much that he hadn’t noticed Roy delivering lots of messages from Jason and Jason never to be found, but still.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The first month had been fine—better than fine. He was back in his apartment (held by the GCPD due to the ongoing case), and the rent for the rest of the year had been paid out by the Wayne Foundation. He had worked himself to the bone on anything he could find to keep himself occupied, and for a while, it had worked. He tested for two certifications he originally would have finished during the time he was captive and had picked up a one-time contract to white-hack a local law firm. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then Tim’s brain caught up with his body and he didn’t leave his apartment for two weeks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Stephanie had been his lifesaver, coming over to drag him out kicking and screaming to get groceries since he was too terrified to call for delivery. That had worked for a little bit, but then she had taken him to one of her counseling appointments to observe, and somehow that had ended with Dinah Lance’s phone number on speed dial in his phone and weekly appointments scheduled in her office. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d been doing better since then, for real. The taser helped, and so did the self-defense classes Dinah had encouraged him to take. Tim had started going to the support group the clinic offered as well, and between all of that, had managed to develop some healthy coping mechanisms. Panic attacks and flashbacks were still a thing, and he had a standing prescription for Xanax—as needed—but he was no longer on the edge of being set off every time he left the house. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And that brought him to today. The coffee shop had become one of his safe havens. Quiet, slow. Not new enough to attract tourists and not old enough to be considered hip by his peers. There was a wall of books in the back that had been donated through the years and free Wi-Fi. Lots of little privacy walls divided up the sitting area, and it was easy to spend an afternoon there. It was also good for private conversations that needed to be done in a public area. Tim just had to wait for— </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tim?” Jason Todd was just as attractive as Tim remembered, but this time he was in plainclothes and they seemed to highlight his features in lots of very appealing ways that worn-out jeans and a jacket likely concealing a firearm shouldn’t. “Thanks for agreeing to meet with me, do you want to go inside?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim blinked back to the present. He took in Jason’s ducked posture and distance and let out the breath he didn’t realize he had been holding, trying to relax enough to get the zing of anxiety out of his scent. “Oh, yeah! Um, no problem.” Not his chillest response, but he’d take what he could get.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim led the way into the coffee shop, surprised by how easy it was to have the Alpha at his back. Alphas in general tended to loom around him, instinctually seeming to know that he was nervous and thus compounding the issue. It had been the only thing he was worried about when he agreed to meet with Jason.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were greeted by the warm smell of coffee and sugar, and possibly chocolate? He hoped they had made chocolate scones that morning; he could use the comfort food.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason insisted on paying for Tim’s order, claiming it was government money anyways, and ordered them both scones in addition to Tim’s coffee and his own black tea. Then, Tim led the Alpha to the back of the store. There was a nice little cubby with two chairs and a clear line of sight to both exits. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As they settled in, Jason cleared his throat to break the silence. “I know I already said this, but thanks again for coming. I know I’m not your favorite person, but Roy got called in and it was either me or an Alpha you’d never met, so I took a gamble.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim blinked, trying to process what Jason was saying while the Alpha physically tried to bury himself in the cushions of the armchair. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What? Oh. No, you’re fine.” That earned him an incredulous look, and Tim felt a smile twitch at his lips. “Seriously. Of all the issues I have, you, uh, aren’t one of them. Strangers in general, Alphas specifically, yeah. But you haven’t been a trigger, and I don’t think that’ll change.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But… I hurt you.” The lost look on Jason’s face was rather endearing, and Tim had to distract himself by picking at his scone before he blurted out how attractive he found the other man.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean, yeah, but not really.” Tim shrugged, then huffed. Dinah had made him put it into words before, but he hadn’t anticipated having to tell anyone else. “Listen, I got hurt in a lot of different ways back there, and I’m going to be a complete basket case for like, the next ten years—if not my whole life. But of all the issues I have, what happened with you hasn’t caused me any anxiety beyond the normal embarrassment of talking about sex to my therapist.” Tim shifted in his seat, pulling his hands away from the mutilated scone and blushing, because damn if this wasn’t hard to say to someone who had actually been there. “I know it wasn’t sex, I know I should use the Word,” </span>
  <em>
    <span>rape</span>
  </em>
  <span>, “but you have to understand that in my mind that was the best possible thing that could have happened. I’d have fully consented in a heartbeat if I had known the full context—although, I also know I wasn’t really capable of consent at that point, even if I’d been off the drugs and out of cycle.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason’s mouth opened and closed several times, but he cut himself off before any of his thoughts became audible. Since he didn’t seem to know what to say to that, Tim continued, “Maybe that’ll change. Maybe in three years after I’ve got a handle on all the heavy shit, I’ll need a few sessions because of you, but right now I can only be grateful that you got me out. Yeah, the... the </span>
  <em>
    <span>tying</span>
  </em>
  <span> would have been nice to avoid, but I’d rather you have done what you did another fifty times than spend another day in that place—let alone get moved to a Heat House.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s, uh…” Jason cleared his throat and rubbed his palms against his pants, as if they were sweaty.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tim snorted. “It’s fucked up, I know. You don’t have to say anything. I accepted your apology back then, you know? Don’t beat yourself up too hard, trust me, it’s not worth it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason offered him a wan smile and shrugged. “Don’t know how much of a choice I have in the matter, but thanks.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim hummed into his coffee, taking a long sip. “Have you thought about seeing a therapist? Take it from the master, they have a great way of putting things in perspective and helping you sort out your head if you need it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That earned him a bark of laughter. “Yeah, kid. My boss has been pushing us all to go see one of the approved shrinks for a while, and my dad has a friend who’s a counselor. Can’t even tell you the number of times he’s brought her up in casual conversation since the raid.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim felt a spark of annoyance, because he wasn’t a kid, and Jason sure seemed to use the term a lot, but he pushed it down in favor of the conversation at hand. “You should listen to him. I’m sure he’s worried about you, and even if you don’t think it’s major, therapists can help with the little stuff, like self-esteem, too.” The amused look Jason shot him made Tim blush, because, wow. He really did sound like a mental health pamphlet, didn’t he?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re doing okay, though?” The Alpha had been able to keep his scent pretty well contained, thus far (Tim suspected some kind of neutralizer had been applied earlier), but now a hint of concern was peeking through the gunpowder-and-spice that stuck to his clothes, likely having built up in the time they had been sitting.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim shrugged. “I mean, some days are better than others, but, yeah. I’m okay. Getting out of the apartment more now, and I’m thinking about starting school again in the spring, so there’s that. Just taking it day by day for the most part.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason sipped at his tea and nodded, humming like he understood where Tim was coming from. Given his line of work, he probably did. “That’s good. How much school do you have left?” It was a little weird that Jason was making small talk with him, but Tim decided to humor him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Only a year. I’m sure you already read it in a report or something, but I was legally emancipated when I was seventeen and graduated high school early. With any luck, I can get in all the classes I need during the spring and summer semesters and graduate a few weeks after I turn twenty-one. Most of the classes are online at this point anyways, so it shouldn’t be too much of an issue.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m glad to hear it. I know when I was working on my degree, a lot of the upper division classes would only be offered one semester or another.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim nodded along and they both drank in silence for a few minutes before Tim decided to cut to the chase. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m guessing you didn’t want to meet up just to chat?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason grimaced, and Tim had to smirk. “What’s up?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“At the time, you mentioned to one of the other agents that you’d be willing to testify when the time came. Or at least write a witness statement? Is that still true?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim nodded seriously. “Yeah, I want to. I’m not sure if I’ll be ready to really go up and talk about it, but I can at least write a letter or something that can be submitted as evidence.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason nodded. “I’ll be frank. No one involved is going to get off scot free. We have enough evidence to put most of them away for life and have been working on tracking down former buyers, too. The problem we’re facing now is that there’s a push to let some people off with light sentences if they weren’t directly involved with the facility you were held at or the Heat Houses themselves.” He hunched over and rested his elbows on his knees, fingers laced tight together as he tried to contain his frustration. “Those are primarily people who worked at the shipping company that acted as a cover for transport, along with clients who got caught in the Heat Houses. You can’t do much for the latter, but so far, you’re one of the only victims who didn’t lose consciousness at any point of the journey to the facility.” The Alpha sighed and leaned back in his seat, his eyes tired when he finally looked at Tim again. “A personal testimony is always stronger in court, but I’ll warn you now that the defense is going to pull at any loose ends they can. The fact that you were under the influence of sedatives will be picked at, and I can bet the fact that you aren’t pressing charges against me will be brought up as well.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim nodded. He had suspected as much, but he didn’t regret his choice. Jason had done what he had to in order to get them both out safely. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Basically, it’s probably safer for your mental health to just write it down, but taking the stand would have more impact.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll talk to my therapist about it.” He brushed his hands together to get rid of the worst of the crumbs and pulled out his phone. “When do I need to decide by?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not for a while. The trials won’t start until late summer by my guess, so you have a solid nine months, if not more.” Jason leaned forward a little, setting his empty cup aside in favor of lacing his fingers together and looking at Tim earnestly. “Off the record, I also wanted to check and make sure you had plans for the holidays? I didn’t read your file or anything. Didn’t want to invade your privacy like that. But I heard that you didn’t have much family and wanted to make sure you wouldn’t be lonely?” Jason looked so earnest that Tim couldn’t help but smile for real.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, my friend Stephany is big on ‘Friendsgiving,’ so I’m going over to hang out with her, her mom, and her girlfriend for Thanksgiving. Not sure what I’ll do for Christmas yet, she and her mom are going to visit some family in Ohio, but I’ll at least invite a friend over to binge Christmas movies, if nothing else.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason smiled, and god. It was like Tim had saved his puppy’s life. “That’s good, just as long as you aren’t alone. It’s good to have company around then, keeps you from digging too deep into your head.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And wasn’t that the truth. Tim smiled slightly. “Thanks. I really appreciate it, Jason.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No problem. Oh!” Jason fumbled with his pockets, eventually pulling out his wallet and extracting a business card, then pulling a pen out of his jacket pocket to scrawl something on the back. “Here. The contact info on the front is for my office and it’s what you’re supposed to call or email if you want to discuss anything about the case. Unfortunately, I’m not in my office very often, so that’s my personal cell. Feel free to text if you don’t want to call, I almost always have it on me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right.” Tim took the card, spending just a second to admire the neat handwriting on the back before looking up again. “Thanks.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I should be the one thanking you.” Jason chuckled, but it came off a little dry and he wasn’t making eye contact. “I should be heading out. The mountain of paperwork sitting on my desk is bigger than you’d believe. But, Tim?” Jason’s eyes were filled with concern, regret, and a whole host of other emotions that Tim wasn’t ready to analyze. “Take care, okay? Do what’s best for you first, and if that lines up with the trials, great, but if not, then know that I’d rather you be safe than anything else.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim swallowed to clear the lump that threatened the back of his throat and forced himself to nod jerkily. “I will. Thank you, Jason.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anytime, Timmy. I’ll see you around.” Jason offered him a smile and a wave, but didn’t try and touch him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He left Tim with a half-empty cup of cold coffee and a tangled mess of emotions taking up residence in his stomach. As he tried to untangle them, even just a little, one thing became clear: he was well and truly fucked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>oOo</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tim. Timmy. Timbo. Timberlina. Best friend. Sibling of my soul. You cannot say no!” Stephanie Brown was waxing poetic at Tim, already on her third glass of wine while he dutifully sipped his apple cider, since alcohol and anti-depressants were a bad idea (and he wasn’t yet legal, but who really cared about that). The trio was sitting in the living room of the Beta’s house, digesting the fantastic dinner her mom had prepared for Thanksgiving. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, Steph. I can.” Tim leaned forward on the couch to look around Stephanie and make eye contact with Cass. “I really do appreciate the offer, Cass. The Wayne Christmas Galas were always my favorite as a kid, but I don’t think I can handle that many people, even ignoring the fact that they’ll all be society snobs.” Going shopping without Stephanie was hard enough, and that had zero societal expectations beyond </span>
  <em>
    <span>don’t be a complete freaking weirdo</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t have to come.” Cass was leaning against her corner of the couch with her feet tucked under Steph’s butt in a casual display of intimacy. She was the quiet kind of Alpha who almost never existed in pop culture. Her scent was mellow enough to pass for a Beta, and Steph swore it was natural, that she hadn’t taken any kind of suppressants beyond the normal ones to prevent a rut. “It is just an option. Being alone for Christmas is… lonely?” No one really knew what her first language was, and after years under Wayne’s care it was easy to forget that her precise way of speaking wasn’t just a Cass Thing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The pups make it nicer than the other galas, though,” she continued. “It won’t be as bad as most. And my siblings and I always sneak out halfway through to watch The Santa Claus and Die Hard. That makes it better. You can bring friends too, and I promise to chase off other Alphas.” It was a real promise too. Cassandra Wayne was well known as one of the most terrifying people on the continent.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I appreciate that, I really do. I just don’t know if I want to deal with all of it. There’s not much motivation for me to suffer through a society event, ‘cause I’d probably be too freaked out to enjoy the movies.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cass hummed, her eyes scanning Tim as she contemplated something, and he was almost worried about what she would say next. “You said you were studying computer forensics?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Tim hesitated before continuing, “Double majoring in programming and cyber security.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Barbara Gordon-Grayson is my sister-in-law. She will be there. And Alfred makes us snacks.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim stared at her. Because… how. How did she know? And then Steph started guffawing at him from her side of the couch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tim! You have to! She’s your</span>
  <em>
    <span> idol</span>
  </em>
  <span>, you wrote that paper on her, remember?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He flushed and glared at her. “Shut up. I did </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> write a paper on her! It was on Oracle, her—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah,” Steph lazily waved away his words with a hand, “Her super fancy security software that’s as close to an AI as we have in modern times. I remember. You would sit there and go on and on about it. I swear, you were more in love with that program than you were with me back when we dated.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim huffed. “Well, that’s probably why we broke up, Steph.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, we broke up ‘cause I don’t have a dick. That’s different. Now, quit changing the subject.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wasn’t—!” He threw his hands up and slumped back on the couch, careful not to spill what remained of his drink. He had no idea how this got so out of hand. “I don’t know, Cass. Let me think about it and I’ll let you know?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She nodded. “That is good. Steph can text you my number. If you do come, will people even notice? It has been many years, you could just be a wallflower.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s a nice thought, but I think you underestimate the collective memory of society. I ran into Mr. Barnon two years ago, and he brought up how I spilled my juice on his husband when I was eleven. There is zero chance of me sliding in under the radar.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, then come and eat and then hide in the parlor. My brother Damian often does that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll think about it, but I probably won’t go, okay? It’s not personal, it’s just, well, mild to moderate agoraphobia.” Tim smiled bitterly. It was possibly the most annoying of the things Dinah had diagnosed him with.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I understand. You must do what is best for you, no matter what. I will not be offended.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks.” His smile turned into a genuinely happy one. With her easy going personality, he could easily see her becoming a good friend. “So, Steph said you travel a lot?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And Cass lit </span>
  <em>
    <span>up</span>
  </em>
  <span>. “Oh, yes. I spend a lot of time in Hong Kong, but try to visit home often. Work keeps me very busy but it is not very interesting. It is the people that I enjoy watching the most…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>oOo</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Let it be known that Timothy Jackson Drake was a complete, goddamned idiot. His hands were shaking and sweating, even though he had taken a Xanax thirty minutes prior, and he had been denning all morning. Not nesting, denning. In the closet. Like a pup during its first heat. He’d be more embarrassed by that if he could manage to stop fiddling with his already perfect tie.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>On the could-he-handle-a-Wayne-gala scale, he had been pretty far on the “no” side, but Dinah had been encouraging him to not let his fear hinder things he actually wanted to do, and then Cass had texted him that Barbara wanted to meet him. That had been the deciding factor, really. Getting to meet Barbara Gordon was one thing—</span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span> wanting to meet </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span> was another thing entirely, but now he was having doubts about whether it would be worth it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A knock at the door proved it was too late to back out, and with a sigh he opened the door, not even needing to look through the peephole. Conner Kent stood outside, decked out in his full Air Force uniform, since he couldn’t afford a tux nice enough for the event. The Alpha was tall, broad, beautiful, and as straight as a roundabout. All in all, Tim’s perfect date.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey! Wow, you look great.” Conner grinned at him, and Tim plucked halfheartedly at the sleeves of his charcoal suit. It was simple and well cut, if obscenely expensive, and therefore perfect for a society event. “Are those reindeer fucking on your tie?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That earned a smirk as Tim shrugged. “It’s subtle enough that I don’t think most people will notice, but I’m hoping just enough of the really conservative ladies do.” The tie was black with white squiggles making up abstract reindeer that were, in fact, mating. It was one of the best purchases Tim had made since his rescue.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I like it. We good to go, or are you still getting ready?” And just like that Tim’s nerves were back in full force. He shrugged listlessly and wrapped his arms around himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, we don’t have to go if you’re not feeling up to it. No one is expecting you to be there, and your friend will understand if you have to bail. You should only go if you want to go for you, no one else.” The thing about Kon was that no matter how much of an all brawn and no brains Alpha he looked like, he had some pretty insightful moments. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know, and I do want to go. I want to prove to myself that I can do this, I’m just… worried.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, that’s why I’m here. Chase away all the douchebags who try to make a scene.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Tim nodded and took a fortifying breath. “Okay, sniff test. What can you smell?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kon scented the air, then stepped into Tim’s space and scented closer to his neck—but not touching. He leaned back with a raised eyebrow, “Dude. You smell like Bahama Breeze body wash. I can’t smell you at all.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim blushed up to his hairline. “It’s called Jamaican Me Happy, and good.” He’d used the scent neutralizing wash three times, then stuck blocking stickers on the scent glands along his neck and wrists. At least this way if he has a panic attack, the whole room wouldn’t be able to smell it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Does it make you happy?” Kon seemed skeptical at best, but Tim couldn’t blame him for that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shut up. It’s a placebo effect. Now c’mon, before I chicken out.” Tim pushed him out of the apartment and turned to lock the door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sir, yes, sir.” Conner laughed, placing a careful hand against Tim’s back when he turned around to escort him out to his car. “You got your meds?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim nodded and tapped the zipped pocket of his winter coat, the rattling of the pills inside their plastic container audible to both of them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just so you know, Clark and Lois are going to be there too. They invited me the other day, and I had to explain that I was already coming with you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That didn’t surprise Tim too much. It was pretty well known that Clark Kent was friends with Bruce Wayne, even if it wasn’t regularly advertised. Tim just had an insiders’ view since Clark was Kon’s sire from his first mate, Lex Luthor, who was a slug of a human being. In Clark’s defense, he hadn’t even known about Kon’s existence until the pup was nine and they had been divorced for ten years. In the end, the transfer of custody had been very quiet and Kon had been raised by Clark’s parents. Tim had met the Alpha at a gala Clark had been covering for the Daily Planet. They had been thirteen and bonded over Allison Easterly’s hideous dress and hid under tables to steal hors d’oeuvres. They’d been nigh inseparable ever since, even after presenting opposite each other.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They say anything about it?” Tim wasn’t sure what, if anything, Kon had told them, but Lois was one of the best investigative reporters in the country. There was no way she hadn’t put the pieces together between the timing of his reappearance and the media fest that was the FBI raid.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kon shrugged. “Not really.” He unlocked the car he was renting for his weekend in Gotham. Kon would fly to Smallville with his family in the morning, taking his leave to spend the holiday with Ma and Pa Kent. “Just that they were glad I could see you while I was in the area.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In the area—meaning not on base in Colorado, studying flight at their academy. Even ignoring the three months Tim had spent in captivity, he hadn’t seen his friend in over a year.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The drive to Wayne Manor was mostly quiet, and Kon took his time to regale Tim with some stories of what he and Cassie—his girlfriend—had been getting up to and all the close calls with authority that entailed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a guard at the gatehouse who checked Tim’s name off a list, and then the pair made their way up the long, winding driveway to the house proper. It was just as breathtaking as Tim remembered, and ethereal ice sculptures lined the edge of the fountain in front of the Manor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Guests were already streaming inside, a line of cars waiting to pull up to the front steps, and valets drove empty cars from the front door to wherever it was they hid them during the party. A limo service had been hired to pick up the families who would be there from the Foundation, as well as the kids from the orphanage. As fun as the night would be for them all, the true gift, Tim knew, was that every pup present would be going home with a two-year scholarship to a school of their choice once they graduated high school. They could reapply at the end of those two years with good grades, and Tim had donated enough to sponsor one of the kids by himself. It was the only consolation he had, seeing as the rest of the party would be dripping with money.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Inside, it was even more grandiose. Garlands hung from the banisters in the foyer—not that anyone outside the family would be going upstairs—and wreaths decorated the spaces between every portrait on the walls. In the ballroom, dazzling lights twinkled from the ceiling, drawing the eye to the two massive chandeliers and the Christmas tree that dominated the wall on the other side of the room. A live orchestra framed the tree, and Tim couldn’t help but feel that this was even more extravagant than what he remembered—and </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> Wayne Christmas Gala had been seen through the rose-colored glasses of a child.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kon whistled beside him, taking in the opulence of the room and the towers of finger food and deserts lining the wall to their left. Tables were scattered around the right half of the room, but the majority of the floor was dedicated to dancing and socializing—Tim knew that later on, the people interested in dancing would migrate closer to the music and the gossipers would move back towards the entrance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It sent a bolt of nervousness through him, because he knew he wasn’t up for dancing tonight—wasn’t up for being touched by strangers, at all—and it took a good mask to be able to stand and chat with society members. He didn’t even know what to hope for, as far as seating arrangements went, but their coats had been taken and tagged at the entryway and now a waiter was leading them through the maze of tables. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Their table was against the wall opposite to the food, and Tim was willing to bet money that Cass was the one who had arranged it so that his back could be to a wall. A couple and their two children were already seated at the round table, although the two seats next to Tim remained empty for the time being. Wayne paid for the Foundation families’ attire, so it was impossible to tell them apart from society members just by appearance, but given the apprehension that surrounded them, they were probably here as recipients. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello,” Tim greeted them with a small smile as he took his seat in front of his place card. “My name is Tim, and this is my friend Conner.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Beta mother smiled back and spoke up first, “Hello, Tim, it’s nice to meet you. My name is Kathy, and this is my husband Nathan. Our pups are Sarah and Ben.” The two pups mumbled their hellos shyly. The girl looked to be about fourteen, but the boy was probably only ten.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before more small talk could be made, Ben tugged at his mother’s sleeve and whisper-talked, “Is it time to eat yet? I’m starving!” Kathy blushed bright red and tried to stutter out an apology, obviously having recognized that both Tim and Conner were of age and therefore not from the Foundation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim, however, made eye contact with Kon and couldn’t stop the laugh that tumbled past his lips.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t worry kid,” Kon rumbled, “Once everyone sits down, Bruce’ll get up there and say a few things, then we’ll have food. It’s just about all these parties are good for, after all.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim snorted and nodded along, glad to see that both Kathy and Nathan looked relieved at their relaxed attitudes. “I haven’t been to one of these in years, but Wayne’s Christmas party is always the best since there’s a real dinner first, so no one tries to show up too late. They even bring it to you like at a restaurant, so you don’t have to wait in line.” Tim leaned over, trying to get a look at the name card next to him to see who else would be coming. He almost melted in relief as he straightened back up, nerves pushed away for the time being. He couldn’t see who the last person was, but it didn’t matter because he knew who would sit next to him. “We’re in luck too, ‘cause we get to sit with Cass Wayne and she’s the coolest person ever.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really?” The boy sounded skeptical, but Sarah watched him with tentative hope in her eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really. She’s kinda quiet, but no one says no to her and if you ask really nice, she can probably get you a cupcake before everyone else is allowed up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was a great selling point for the kids, apparently, and they chattered eagerly for the next several minutes until Bruce Wayne started tapping on a microphone to get everyone’s attention. Just as Wayne started his speech, two bodies slipped subtly into the empty seats at their table. He turned to smile at Cass when he caught sight of the person next to her, eyes bugging out as he locked eyes with Jason Todd.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason looked nearly as shocked as he did before he managed to tear his eyes away, a feat that Tim was unable to replicate. Tim gawked at Jason while the Alpha looked away with the single-minded determination of someone who was trying to avoid looking at anything else. Tim eventually dragged his eyes away, but only as far as his plate. What was Jason doing here? Did Cass know about his history with Jason? Did she invite him on purpose?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bruce droned on in the background. “I’ll keep this short, but I’m so glad you can all be here with me tonight. Thank you to everyone who donated, you have made this Christmas a truly miraculous holiday for all of our young guests.” He started to explain how the Christmas scholarships had become a tradition, and quiet murmurs broke out over the tables. Kathy began to cry when she realized what Wayne was saying, because people who didn’t come to the Christmas Gala usually didn’t know about the scholarships. Wayne put a lot of effort in keeping the names of the people receiving charity out of the papers, and the journalists who </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> write articles on the party were always more focused on gossiping about the wealthy people attending.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bruce finished up quickly, well aware of the hungry, excited children in his audience. Immediately afterwards, the serving staff descended upon them, which was unfortunate, because Tim was desperate to interrogate their dinner partner. Even so, dinner was amazing. A nice distraction. Alfred Pennyworth was a master at picking caterers, and it was all a careful balance of gourmet delicacies and things that would still be appetizing to children. Prime rib and chicken in three different ways and a variety of vegetables. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Everyone chatted during the meal, although Jason seemed more interested in talking with Kathy than Tim, which Tim tried not to be upset about. This was not a conversation to have in front of others. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He guessed that the Alpha might still be feeling guilty about his role in Tim’s rescue, despite not having done anything worthy of feeling guilty over. An Alpha’s protective instincts could be finicky if he felt like he had failed Tim, and Jason seemed like a genuinely good person. Tim could understand that much, even as his own instincts urged him to analyze what he had done wrong to cause the strange distance after how friendly they had been at the café.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tim?” He turned towards Cass’ quiet voice, pulled out of his musings. The kids were busy marveling over the cupcakes the waiters had just brought them at her request. “Dick and Babs got stuck in traffic, so they will be late. She is very excited to meet you, though. Wanted to… talk tech?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s fine. I kinda figured it would be better to chat later. It’s hard to talk naturally down here.” Tim gestured to the room at large. He had already spotted three nearby tables that seemed to be paying more attention than normal to their group. Whether that was simply because of Cass’ presence or if it was directed at him was anyone’s guess, but his anxiety was telling him it was the latter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cass nodded easily. “Galas are painful.” Never had a truer statement been made.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dinner wound down and the orchestra transitioned from quiet classical pieces to upbeat Christmas music tailored for dancing—things you could dance to whether you were formally trained or not. A lot of the couples used to these events made their way onto the dance floor and broke into foxtrots or two steps. Tim missed dancing; it was one of the fun parts of charity balls, assuming you could find a half decent partner. Unfortunately, the only people he could see himself dancing with tonight were Kon, who couldn’t dance, and Jason, who was giving him the cold shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The music changed, and Tim perked up a bit. He caught Sarah’s eye and smiled at her. “Would you like to dance?” She blushed and chewed on her lip, looking to her dad. He just gave her a look that asked her what she wanted to do, so she looked back to Tim and nodded hesitantly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He ignored the looks that Jason and Kon sent him and stood up, moving around the table to help Sarah out of her seat. Arm in arm with heads held high, they made their way onto the dance floor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is a really easy dance called a waltz. Have you ever tried it before?” She shook her head as he nudged her arms into the proper position. “That’s okay, I’ll just teach you, okay? You’re going to step back with your right foot first, then to the side, then together. Now forward with your left foot…” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim focused on teaching the young girl the basic steps, her light Omega scent pleasantly wafting around them as she giggled with every wrong step and beamed in delight when she got it right.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, now you’re going to do exactly that, and I’m just going to push and pull us around the room. Is that alright?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes!” It was possibly the first word she had said to him the entire night, and Tim felt a little burst of pride as he proceeded to do just that. There wasn’t much of the song left after the lesson, but he paraded her around the room and caught a glimpse of Kathy recording them at one point. It was easy and light and more fun than Tim had expected, given the number of times she accidentally pinched his toes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As the song wound down, he twirled her dramatically and ended in a low bow, kissing her knuckles lightly. It was dramatic to the point of being silly, but it got Sarah to genuinely laugh, so Tim counted it as a win.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you don’t mind, I’d like to cut in?” Tim stumbled on a half-step and gulped as he quickly straightened, looking Jason in the eye. The Alpha had confident airs floating about, but he looked more than a little sheepish.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh, yeah. Sure.” He turned to Sarah. “You know how to get back to the table?” She nodded and smiled, then curtseyed clumsily and scurried back to her mother. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t until Jason held out a hand and Tim recognized the music as a foxtrot that he realized how much of a terrible idea this was. This dance would arguably require more body contact than a formal waltz. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you know how to follow? Or just lead?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If I say lead, does that mean you’ll follow?” Tim raised an eyebrow, holding back a laugh as he tried to imagine leading the massive Alpha around the room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason’s chin lowered at the Omega’s challenging tone, and he raised a brow to meet Tim’s challenge. “If that’s what you’d prefer, then yes. I do know how to follow, just not very well.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And wow. That was a thought. An Alpha who wouldn’t automatically lead the dance. Tim shook his head, though. He didn’t want that tonight.“You can lead. Just nothing too fancy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Noted.” Jason slid a hand around Tim’s waist to firmly support the Omega, then slid into the first step of the dance. It was very similar to the waltz, just different timing, and Jason was good enough at guiding them around that Tim felt himself beginning to drift with the music. “I like your tie,” Jason said, as they made their way across the floor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And wow, this was not a conversation he had prepared for when he had dressed himself earlier. “Thanks.” It came out more than a little choked, but there was no helping that. Tim kept his eyes firmly fixed on the fabric of Jason’s suit. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was surprised to see you here tonight. Didn’t think that this was your kind of scene, let alone something you’d be interested in.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason didn’t make eye contact when Tim looked up, gaze firmly ahead, but Tim knew better than to assume he wasn’t paying attention.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My parents used to take me to Wayne galas when they were in town. They were all pretty awful, but I remember liking the Christmas ones. Cassandra Wayne is dating my best friend, and invited me back at Thanksgiving. I wasn’t planning on coming, but she knows I want to go into cyber forensics and used Barbara Gordon to bribe me into coming,” Tim smiled faintly, “I was planning on staying home, otherwise.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason nodded slowly, processing the information as he deftly guided them around another couple. “You came to Wayne parties as a kid?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. My parents, the Drakes, they were pretty big in society. Not Wayne-big, but big enough to be involved. Dad’s family owned a company, Drake Industries? After they died, I stopped coming. Sold the company to Wayne and just focused on school.” Tim paused, thinking. “I think the last gala I went to was the Police Charity Ball back when I was sixteen.” He raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing here? Didn’t think this would be your scene, either.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason cleared his throat and glanced down in the vicinity of Tim’s collar. “Well, it’s my family’s party, and one of the only ones I’ll actually go to nowadays, so Dad makes sure we’re all here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t often that Tim found himself caught unawares with the rug pulled out from beneath his feet, but this definitely qualified. “You’re a Wayne?! But, your last name…” Tim’s eyes widened as the pieces clicked together. “You’re Jason Wayne.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah…” Jason shrugged sheepishly, color rising in his cheeks as he finally made eye contact with Tim. “I try to keep my family name out of work, it gets too much attention. Legally, it’s hyphenated, but I just pick whichever one best fits the situation I’m in.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh. That’s… Oh.” Tim wasn’t sure what to think about this development and opted to push it firmly into his </span>
  <em>
    <span>something to deal with tomorrow</span>
  </em>
  <span> category. “I can understand that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can?” Jason cast a skeptical look at him, complete with a raised eyebrow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. Everyone in all my classes had read about my parents’ murders, and it sucked.” He grimaced at the memory of the stares and whispers. “I ended up switching to an online school and just cranked out classes. College was like a fresh start. Everyone had forgotten about the crazy rich people getting kidnapped and I was just like anyone else.” Tim shrugged. “I may not know your specific situation, but I understand that anonymity is priceless.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The tense line of Jason’s shoulders relaxed a fraction, and he spun Tim in a slow circle as the song ended. “Thank you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim snorted. “You don’t have to thank me for anything. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that we need allies in times like these.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason smiled, but something over Tim’s shoulder caught his attention before he could respond. A light tap on Tim’s shoulder answered that question before it could fully form, and Tim rocked away from the touch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A young Alpha stood a few steps away, blond and good-looking. He was sending out waves of his scent, a common technique to try and attract someone of the opposite dynamic, but Tim could already feel himself shrinking away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you’re not already taken, I’d be honored to have your next dance.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim’s throat felt tight, and he wasn’t sure if he could answer. The only thing stopping him from quaking where he stood was Jason’s solid presence at his back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry.” It came out as a bit of a gasp, but he did manage it. “I need to, to rest. But thank you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Alpha frowned, and his eyes flashed up to Jason then back down again. “Perhaps I could get you a drink, then?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim wasn’t entirely sure what noise he made, but he definitely let something slip out, because before he could formulate a response, Jason had moved to his side and was exuding protective pheromones. His hand hovered close enough to the nape of Tim’s neck for the Omega to feel the heat of it, but wasn’t actually touching him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you, but I’ve got him covered.” The other man’s frown deepened, and he narrowed his eyes at Jason.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you sure?” The question was directed at Tim, but he was clearly challenging Jason.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim leaned back the inch required for his hand to make contact, and Jason’s fingers tightened reflexively. Tim let the calming hormones wash over him and used them to speak up and cut through the challenge. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m quite sure, thank you. My friend was just helping me to my seat.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Alpha huffed, but backed down with a nod and stepped away. “Merry Christmas!” Tim called cheerfully after him, but the Alpha just smiled tightly and left without a word.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason let go immediately and turned to look Tim in the eye. “Are you okay? I didn’t mean to grab you like that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, fine.” Tim shook out his arms to get the lingering fuzziness to fade. “I leaned into it, not you, so it’s okay. You can ask to touch me in the future.” He paused to flash a quick smile up at Jason. “I think you and Kon might be the only ones I’m okay with. Maybe Cass, but she hasn’t tried.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Speaking of Kon, Tim could see him cutting through the crowd to get to them, and the next dance was starting up with them still on the floor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“C’mon.” Tim didn’t grab Jason’s hand to pull him along, but it was a close thing. He met Kon halfway, edging around groups of socialites. The other Alpha was all riled up, likely having watched at least some of the interaction from afar, and Tim wanted to nip that in the bud before it bloomed into something more explosive.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kon, this is Special Agent Jason Todd-Wayne. He’s the one who… got me out.” That seemed to do the trick as Kon pulled up short.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh. You’re good?” he asked Tim, looking Jason over with an appraising eye, having easily identified him as one of the people sharing their table.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, I’m good.” Tim refused to be exasperated by the repetitive questions. There were times when he definitely needed them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cool. Conner Kent.” Kon thrust his hand out for Jason to shake.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jason Todd-Wayne. And Kent? Any relation to Clark Kent?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kon chuckled as they shook hands. “I’m surprised you didn’t just assume. Most people think I’m his clone, but I’m just his kid.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Genetics are crazy like that.” With the crisis averted, Tim felt himself sag a little. He needed to sit down, damnit. “I have to go make some rounds. I take it you’re here for Tim?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kon nodded. “I’m his bodyguard for the night.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim groaned. “You two are terrible. Now, I’m going to go sit down and enjoy a cupcake, because frankly I can’t drink, so that’s about as good as this night is going to get.” He stomped off, more than a little pleased when he heard Jason’s laugh behind him as Kon turned to follow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>oOo</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim’s fists clenched hard enough for his nails to dig into the flesh of his palms, but not quite enough to break the skin. This had been a mistake. A horrible, horrible mistake. Kon had stepped away for two seconds to track down some sparkling grape juice, and Mrs. Elderidge had descended upon him. By herself, Tim could handle it, but then Dick </span>
  <em>
    <span>fucking</span>
  </em>
  <span> Grayson had shown up, somehow knowing what Tim looked like and that he was who his wife wanted to meet that night, and now it was all gone to shit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The arm around his shoulders tightened, drawing him in and pressing his face into Dick’s armpit as he made some joke to Mrs. Elderidge, who was still standing across from them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shit. He was going to have a meltdown in front of the biggest gossiper in society. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A hard smack hit Dick, jostling Tim and making Dick jump and let go of him. He took the opportunity to back up a step and breathe deeply, trying to contain his dizzying panic to take stock of the situation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the hell, Jay? What was that for?” Dick was glaring at the other Alpha, rubbing his arm in confusion. That had not been a friendly, brotherly pat. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim caught the last second of Jason’s thunderous expression before it smoothed into something faintly amused.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You were suffocating him, had to get you to let go of him somehow.” Jason looked completely unbothered as he offered Mrs. Elderidge a smile before turning to Tim. “You alright, kid?” Tim could only nod shakily, praying that his anxiety wouldn’t bleed through the blockers. “Cool. Your friend sent me to point you his way, he got sucked into a conversation with his stepmom over by the punch bowl.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim nodded in thanks, offered Mrs. Elderidge a short wave, and then ducked his head, scurrying away. He eventually spotted Kon and made eye contact, the Alpha mouthing an apology from across the room. Tim just gave him a tight smile and picked his way around the room until he could slip into an empty parlor across from the ballroom. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The room itself was dark, and Tim felt really lucky he hadn’t walked in on any couples looking for a moment of privacy, given its proximity to the party. He left the lights off and slipped around the perimeter until he found a nice little cubby in the corner of the room, next to a bookcase. He nestled in, wedging his shoulders into the tight space and pulled his knees up to his chest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was okay. He was okay. No one was touching him, and no one would touch him without permission. Not here. Not with Kon and Jason both protecting him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He took several deep, shuddering breaths, and worked on letting go of the tension in his shoulders.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>oOo</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason fidgeted outside of the door to the blue parlor, doing his absolute best not to pace or stink up the hall. He had ditched his brother and Mrs. Elderidge as soon as he possibly could, and it had been pretty easy to guess where Tim had ended up. Now though, he wasn’t sure what to do.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His instincts demanded that he go inside and cuddle Tim to death, but that was definitely not the wisest course of action. He was still mostly a stranger to Tim, and he doubted the Omega would want to be touched after the Attack of the Grayson. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As if answering an unspoken prayer, Kon chose that moment to materialize beside him. “He in there?” the other Alpha asked, gesturing towards the closed door of the parlor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. Wasn’t sure if I should go in or not.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kon shrugged. “I’ll go in and check on him. You keep watch?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason straightened and nodded, then immediately felt ridiculous. He was twenty-six years old and had been working with the FBI for five years. He worked with distressed and traumatized Omegas all the time. There was no reason he should feel out of depth in this situation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>(Except, </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> had caused some of that trauma. He didn’t deserve to walk around freely, let alone receive the forgiveness Tim had freely offered.)</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was only a minute or two before Kon was slipping back out of the room. “He wants you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Me?” Jason didn’t understand. Why on earth would Tim want to see </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kon shrugged again. “Yeah. You can go in. I’ll stand guard.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason’s feet carried him to the door without his permission, and before he knew it, he was closing the door behind him. The room was pitch black, and while he knew the general layout, he really wanted to be able to visibly evaluate Tim. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tim? It’s Jason. Kon said you wanted to see me?” A grunt came from deeper within the room. “Is it okay if I turn on a lamp? Just enough so that I don’t trip and die.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The following pause was long, but eventually he could make out a quiet “Okay,” that seemed to have come from the back-left corner. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There were lamps on either side of the doorway, in addition to a light switch for the overhead, but Jason just twisted one of the soft lights on and glanced back to where the voice had come from. Tim’s feet were peeking out of a cubby made by the wall and a bookcase, his body hidden from sight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can I come over?” The last thing he wanted to do was overstep his bounds. In all likelihood, Tim probably just wanted to tell him he needed to leave the Omega alone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Or maybe not.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason picked his way across the room carefully, letting his clothing rustle so that Tim could track him as he moved around. He crouched down about three feet away from where Tim was huddled on the floor, careful to angle his body in a way that gave the Omega a clear escape route if he needed it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What can I do for you, Timmy? What do you need?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim hesitated, but he didn’t look wary. Just exhausted and tense. “Can I scent you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was common knowledge that an Alpha’s scent could usually help calm a distressed Omega, but why Tim wanted Jason instead of his friend was the real mystery.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure thing. Do you want my wrist, or do you need…?” He gestured to his throat. A much more intimate place to scent, but much stronger, overall. Tim had used some kind of scent blocker, and even now he couldn’t get a read on how much he was feeling.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim didn’t answer, which in and of itself was all the answer Jason needed. The Alpha settled himself on the floor with his back to the wall, legs stretched out before him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whatever you need, Timmy. I don’t mind. I’ll stay right like this until you tell me differently.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim’s relief was palpable, and before long, he was scooting forward, positioning himself so that he was pressed against Jason’s side with his nose to the Alpha’s throat and the Alpha’s arm draped carefully over his shoulders.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They stayed like that, sitting in silence and just breathing in each other’s presence (Tim more literally). Jason wasn’t sure how long they sat there, but he couldn’t help but feel he’d be happy living in this moment forever.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kon’s gay.” The comment came from nowhere, startling Jason a little bit. Truthfully, he had thought that the other Alpha might have been courting Tim before he’d been taken, based on how comfortable they were around each other. “He’s gay, so he gets all the protective instincts that come from being around upset Omegas, but none of the comforting or affectionate instincts that usually accompany it. It ends up just being aggressive, him gearing up for a fight that won’t happen. So that’s why… Sorry if this is making you uncomfortable.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason couldn’t help but snort at that. “Do I smell like I’m uncomfortable? No, Tim. Don’t worry about it. I’m just surprised you didn’t want Cass instead.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim shrugged, something he felt more than saw, with how his head was tipped back to make room for the Omega. “You keep saying stuff like you expect me to hate you, but your scent has always calmed me down. Even during… You know. It was a little traumatic, yeah, but more because I’d never tied with someone before. I don’t think I was ever really scared of you, just of… everything else.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something sick twisted deep inside Jason, and he had to fight to keep his scent from souring. “You’d never…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nah. I had a girlfriend and a couple of boyfriends before. Enough that I had a few positive experiences before… But I was never serious enough with anyone for that. I’m glad it was you, though, and not just for the obvious reasons.” Tim buried his face deeper into Jason’s throat, blushing so hard that the skin there felt cool in comparison. “The stuff you say during, uh, that time, sticks with us O’s, and you were really nice.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason didn’t know what to say to that, so he just pulled Tim closer into his side. They settled down again, Tim practically dozing against his collarbone, and Jason wished he could scent Tim back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A light knock drew his attention back to the door, and Kon stuck his head through the crack a moment later. Seeing that everything was okay, he slipped the rest of the way into the room and latched the door behind him. He made his way to Jason’s other side, stopping so that the Alpha was between him and the Omega and he was only just within arm’s reach.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, Tim?” Tim blinked up at his friend slowly, nerves still a little frayed. “I got your meds if you want them.” Kon held up the bottle of prescription medication, Tim’s name printed in neat font alongside all the other information.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim cleared his throat. “Is it time for the movie? Or do I have to go back out?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Movie,” Jason answered firmly. He had no idea what time it was, but he’d be damned if Tim went back out to deal with the vultures.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t think I’ll need them, then. Thanks, Kon.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No problem, bud. You cool if I sit with you guys?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Go for it.” Tim flopped a hand that could generously be translated to “sit down over here,” and the trio settled in, enjoying the comfortable silence and chatting occasionally.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Later, after Tim had animatedly talked with Babs for two hours, after both movies had ended, after the Omega had fallen asleep slumped against Kon with his feet resting in Jason’s lap, Jason couldn’t help but wish he could keep Tim in his life. It was a selfish thought; he lamented everything that had brought them to today, because he would never be worthy of someone like Tim, but he knew he needed to do everything in his power to make the Omega’s life easier. Help him heal. And later, after that, he would maybe deserve to see Tim happy with someone else. Jason just regretted that it would never be him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
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